(ALL TIMES ET)

8:30PM, SUN | ABC
83rd Annual Academy Awards – James Franco (a Best Actor nominee for 127 Hours) and Anne Hathaway co-host this year’s Oscar ceremony, in which Colin Firth‘s performance in The King’s Speech is considered the shoo-in winner for Best Actor. The bigger drama of the night could come from the changes made to the telecast, including the producers’ decision to abandon the idea of a traditional stage set. Instead, a series of digital projections will make the Kodak Theater stage look like it’s constantly changing. And, as usual, there’s the red carpet parade of fashions – always one of the main reasons for tuning into the Oscars – which begins airing at 7PM on ABC.

8PM, SAT | Fox
Cops – Tonight’s episode: “Morons on Parade #4.” Delightful for its title, and for the fact that it was preceded by #1, #2 and #3.

9PM, SAT | SYFY
Area 51 – Bruce Boxleitner and Jason London star in this week’s made-for-Syfy flick (directed by Sean Connery‘s son Jason) about the famed Area 51, which turns into an alien battle zone when the Air Force gives into public pressure and allows members of the media to visit the secret base.

9PM, SAT | FOOD NETWORK
Unwrapped – A new episode on comfort foods includes a visit to the Lay’s potato chip factory, a peek at how Haagen Dazs ice cream is made and the secrets behind the delicious cinnamon buns made by a New York City bakery.

10PM, SAT | IFC
Independent Spirit Awards – Community and The Soup funny guy Joel McHale hosts this Oscar eve movie awards show that some film fans prefer to the “big show” on Sunday.

10PM, SAT | CNBC
Til Debt Do Us Part – In back-to-back new eps, Gail helps one couple whose car obsession has resulted in a hefty debt load, and another that has relied too much on parents willing to help them pay off their bills.

8PM, SUN | CBS
The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business – The Australian Outback proves to be especially taxing for Mike‘s dad Mel.

9PM, SUN | HBO
Big Love – Including tonight’s “‘Til Death Do Us Part,” there are just four episodes left until the series finale, and things get increasingly more contentious between Bill and the ever more unhinged Alby.

9PM, SUN | SHOWTIME
Californication – Oh, Hank. Just when the cash-strapped writer gets a paying gig polishing the dialogue on a zombie flick, he jeopardizes the paycheck by (of course) hitting on a woman who’s connected to the movie’s star.

10PM, SUN | CBS
CSI: Miami – A high school bully is stoned to death and the CSIs have to figure out which of her victims is responsible.

Worth flipping to during commercials:
– Tina Fey and Steve Carell make one funny couple in Date Night (Sat., 8PM, HBO);
– High Stakes Poker (Sat., 8PM, GSN) begins its seventh season with new host Norm McDonald;
– George and Nina try to help a teen vampire on Being Human (Sat, 9PM, BBCA);
– Karl visits Brazil and its beaches on An Idiot Abroad (Sat., 10PM, Science);
– On My Fair Wedding With David Tutera (Sun., 9PM, WE), David has his hands full trying to find a venue and rework a pink-and-hearts wedding theme, with just three weeks to go before the couple’s big day;
– Frank claims he’s going to stop drinking on Shameless (Sun., 10PM, Showtime).

• No Comments
• Filed in Award shows, TV Picks
• Tags: 83rd Annual Academy Awards, Area 51 Syfy, Big Love, Californication, Cops, CSI: Miami, Independent Spirit Awards, James Franco Oscar host, The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business, Til Debt Do Us Part, Unwrapped

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– Mad Men, season three, August 16 at 10PM ET on AMC. Be there, or be somewhere else, somewhere where people don’t knock back three vodka gimlets before lunch, aren’t nearly as dapperly-attired as Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and don’t have offices that are bigger than my entire New York City apartment. Yeah, not sounding nearly as much fun as Mad Men, right?

– Is designer Vera Wang going to be competing on the next season of Dancing With the Stars? And if so, does that mean we can count on less cheesy costumes?

– Plus-size model Emme has been hired to host Fox’s More to Love, the reality dating show that will feature “average-looking” people

– Discovery Channel’s 22nd annual Shark Week kicks off on August 2.

– Matt Mitovich at TVGuide.com says Rick Springfield will play, fittingly enough, Rick Springfield, when he guest stars on the new season of Californication, but he’ll be a naughty Rick Springfield, one whose sex play makes David Duchovny‘s Hank “look like a Jonas brother.” Not that I’m buying that whole purity ring business about the Jonas Bros. …

– In celebration of its 15th anniversary, TCM has created its own social network site, TCM Classic Film Union, for movie buffs.

– Gordon Ramsay has apologized for, well, basically, for being a tool. You can watch the apology here.

– I reeeally want to like Dr. Drew and trust his motives, but a real doctor prolly should offer to help Lindsay Lohan, or a less-famous addict, whether or not she accepts a reported six-figure offer to appear on his reality show, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, right? Of course, the story seems to be originating with Lohan’s dad, so, grain – no, make that rock, huge, ginormous rock – of salt on the whole thing.

– The Shield creator Shawn Ryan is going back to FX with a comedy about private detectives, called Terriers.

– Futurama‘s back! With 26 new episodes in 2010!

– Good news for David Letterman: He, with guest Julia Roberts, beat Conan O’Brien‘s Tonight Show on Tuesday. Worse news for Conan: His ratings keep dropping. Don’t count him out tho; remember his first years as Late Night host?

– More ratings wars news: Judge Judy beat Oprah. Whoa.

– ABC’s getting a jump on the competition by announcing its fall premiere dates.

– The ratings for the Nurse Jackie series premiere were so good, Showtime’s already greenlighting a second season, so go ahead and get hooked.

– Heidi Pratt‘s launching her own line of dry shampoo, after her shampoo shenanigans on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. I’m sure Oscar Blandi is shaking in his celebrity hair-cutting boots.

• No Comments
• Filed in Celebreality, Late Night, Reality, TV News
• Tags: Californication, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, Conan O'Brien, Dancing With the Stars, David Duchovny, David Letterman, Discovery Channel, Don Draper, Dr. Drew, Drew Pinsky, Emme, Futurama, Get Me Out of Here, Gordon Ramsay, Heidi Pratt, I'm a Celebrity, Jon Hamm, Jonas, Judge Judy, Julia Roberts, Lindsay Lohan, Mad Men, More to Love, Nurse Jackie, Oprah, Rick Springfield, Shark Week, Shawn Ryan, TCM Classic Film Union, The Shield, Tonight Show, Vera Wang

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– IGN.com’s counting down the “25 Funniest Will Ferrell Characters.” It’s a great list (when Roger Klarvin, Ferrell’s character in the funny “luv-ahs” skits on Saturday Night Live, only merits a spot at number 20, you know there are some great ones coming up). This is a big week for Ferrell – not only does the big-screen makeover of Land of the Lost open on Friday, but he’s nominated for a Tony Award on Sunday.

– VH1’s upcoming miniseries The Great Debate is sorta like Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil in reverse. Instead of debating which of two pop culture ideas is the worst, The Great Debate will feature talking heads like Omarosa, Jerry Springer and Tila Tequila debating which is better – Star Wars or Star Trek, Rocky or Rambo, Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune … you get the idea. The week-long series kicks off on July 6, and fans can weigh in now by voting on such topics as “Funny or Not?” (including Adam Sandler, Dane Cook and Kathy Griffin), “Sibling Rivalry” (Kevin or Matt Dillon? Owen or Luke Wilson? Paris or Nicky Hilton?) and “Hot or Not?” (including Michael Phelps, Fergie and Zach Braff). Sounds like a fun summer series, though you have to wonder, weren’t any of the Best Week Ever peeps available? Omarosa and Tila Tequila aren’t exactly, to play off the title, the great debaters.

– So you wanna be a star? Auditions for American Idol, season nine, kick off in Boston on June 14.

– The ratings are in, and the season premiere wasn’t a fluke. Plenty of people are still rubberneckin’ at the trainwreck that is Jon & Kate Plus 8. More Gosselin news: US Weekly is featuring the fam on its cover for a sixth consecutive week. Almost makes you nostalgic for the days when Britney was doing something crazy every week, huh?

– Claire (Hayden Panettiere) is getting a college roommate on Heroes next season, and she’s being played by Californication‘s Madeline Zima.

– The Jay Leno Show will debut on NBC on Sept. 14.

– Breaking Bad‘s second season just ended, but there’s already a preview clip for season three.

– And Grandma Gilmore, a.k.a. Gilmore Girls (and Dirty Dancing!) great Kelly Bishop, will guest star in the new season of Army Wives … as a cougar!

• No Comments
• Filed in American Idol, Boob Tube to Big Screen, Late Night, Reality, TV News
• Tags: Adam Sandler, American Idol, American Idol auditions, Army Wives, auditions, Best Week Ever, Breaking Bad, Breaking Bad season three, Californication, Dane Cook, Dirty Dancing, Fergie, Gilmore Girls, Gosselins, Hayden Panettiere, Heroes, Jeopardy, Jerry Springer, Jon & Kate Plus 8, Kathy Griffin, Kelly Bishop, Kevin Dillon, Land of the Lost, Lewis Black's Root of All Evil, Luke Wilson, luv-ahs, Madeline Zima, Matt Dillon, Michael Phelps, Nicky Hilton, Omarosa, Owen Wilson, Paris Hilton, Rambo, Rocky, Roger Klarvin, Saturday Night Live, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Great Debate, The Jay Leno Show, Tila Tequila, Tony Award, Wheel of Fortune, Will Ferrell, Zach Braff